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18. March 2015

Uruguay | Canelones | Slaughter horse collecting station | Horsemeat Import

Horse with tag from a recent auction.

Today we visit the collecting station of horse dealer Prego near Canelones in the

south of Uruguay. He is one of Clay’s largest suppliers and shipped 1.147 horses to Clay in the past year. When we arrive, an employee is busy preparing horses for anauction that takes place in San Antonio the next day. He is cutting their manes and says that they…

18. March 2015

Uruguay | San José | Estancia “La Paloma” | Blood farms for hormone production

Mares used for hormone production.

We continue to the estancia “La Paloma” of blood farmer Roberto Mailhos. His foreman does not introduce himself and says he does not have permission to give us any information. We want to know how many mares there are on the blood farm. He claims 80 to 90. Just along the access road to the estancia, we have seen about 200. A worker tells us later…

18. March 2015

Uruguay | Florida | Farm of Syntex | Blood farms for hormone production

Closed gate with sign “No Pasar” (no trespassing)

Today we want to visit the blood farm “Loma Azul”, one of the farms of the probably largest blood producer, Syntex Uruguay SA. From customs documents we know that Syntex Uruguay alone exports blood serum worth about 2 Mio. US-Dollars to Europe every month.

The blood farm is secured like a military facility. We manage to pass the first barrier, at…

17. March 2015

Uruguay | Treinta y Tres | Farm of Syntex | Blood farms for hormone production

Eine dünne Stute und ihr Fohlen auf einer Waldlichtung.

At 15:15, we arrive in the small village Valentines in the Department of Treinta y Tres and ask around for the farm of Syntex. People have never heard of this company, but say that this must be the farm of Rubio where they take blood from mares (Federico Rubio is indeed the owner of Syntex Uruguay SA). People say that the estancia is called “El…

17. March 2015

Uruguay | Treinta y Tres | Farm of Syntex | Blood farms for hormone production

[Translate to English:] Eine dünne Stute und ihr Fohlen auf einer Waldlichtung.

At 15:15, we arrive in the small village Valentines in the Department of Treinta y Tres and ask around for the farm of Syntex. People have never heard of this company, but say that this must be the farm of Rubio where they take blood from mares (Federico Rubio is indeed the owner of Syntex Uruguay SA). People say that the estancia is called “El…

17. March 2015

Uruguay | Treinta y Tres | Farm of Syntex | Blood farms for hormone production

At 15:15, we arrive in the small village Valentines in the Department of Treinta y Tres and ask around for the farm of Syntex. People have never heard of this company, but say that this must be the farm of Rubio where they take blood from mares (Federico Rubio is indeed the owner of Syntex Uruguay SA). People say that the estancia is called “El…

17. March 2015

Uruguay | Treinta y Tres | Slaughterhouse El Amanecer | Horsemeat Import

Ein Pferdeschädel ohne Einschussloch liegt auf der Schlachthofweide.

On a pasture belonging to the slaughterhouse El Amanecer, we find a decaying carcass of a horse as well as several horse skulls. There are no bullet holes in the skulls, what implies that the horses were left to die instead of being euthanized. Next to the slaughterhouse building, there are eight waiting pens, which do not offer any shade from the…

17. March 2015

Uruguay | Treinta y Tres | Slaughterhouse El Amanecer | Horsemeat Import

[Translate to English:] Ein Pferdeschädel ohne Einschussloch liegt auf der Schlachthofweide.

On a pasture belonging to the slaughterhouse El Amanecer, we find a decaying carcass of a horse as well as several horse skulls. There are no bullet holes in the skulls, what implies that the horses were left to die instead of being euthanized. Next to the slaughterhouse building, there are eight waiting pens, which do not offer any shade from the…

17. March 2015

Uruguay | Treinta y Tres | Slaughterhouse El Amanecer | Horsemeat Import

On a pasture belonging to the slaughterhouse El Amanecer, we find a decaying carcass of a horse as well as several horse skulls. There are no bullet holes in the skulls, what implies that the horses were left to die instead of being euthanized. Next to the slaughterhouse building, there are eight waiting pens, which do not offer any shade from the…